GREEK MYTHOLOGY UNIT

You are going to learn about the Greek myths during WIN time for the next few weeks.
There are many reasons why the ancient Greeks told myths. One reason was to explain what
was happening around them. People would tell stories of the gods to explain natural disasters,
deaths, animals, the weather, and other events happening around them. The natural world was
scary, and they did not have all the scientific explanations that we have now. Myths were a way
of making sense of the world.
The ancients also told myths in order to inspire people and pass on values to their
children. And finally, Greeks told myths because they were fun stories! People in ancient
Greece didn't have television, radio, the internet, and all the other entertainments we have
today. Like fairy tales and folk tales, these stories were told over and over again, in poem and in
songs.
We are going to read, watch, and listen to a number of Greek myths, as well as some
factual articles about life in ancient Greece. Here is your itinerary for this unit:
1. Read this site to get an idea of what life was like in ancient Greece. You may
click on these links on the left-hand side: Greece today, Daily life, Greek clothes,
Food, Schools, Theatre, and Sports.
2. Complete a 3, 2, 1 chart (see your packet for a paper copy) to summarize some
of what you learned about ancient Greek life. Discuss with at least two others in
your group and imagine what you would like/dislike about life back then.
3. Listen to the myth of Gaia and Uranus as you read it here.
4. Read about Zeus and his Family in your packet.
5. Complete a triple Venn diagram comparing and contrasting Uranus, Cronus, and
Zeus. Discuss with at least one other person in the myth group to share ideas,
get feedback, and improve your Venn diagram.
6. The ancient Greeks and Romans told the same myths, but they used different
names. For example: in Greece, Zeus was the king of the gods. The Romans
called the same god Jupiter. This c hart contains both names for the 12
Olympians. You are going to make a trading card (like a baseball card) for EACH
of the 13 major gods and goddesses (the 12 Olympians, plus Hestia). Each
trading card must have the following:
-Greek name
-Roman name
-Picture of the god/goddess
-What he/she is the god of
-At least 1 of his/her symbols

-On the back of the card, you must write a short description of this
god/goddess. What was he like? What characteristics did she reflect?
What made them mad? Who did he marry? Who were her children?
You will find the information for these trading cards in the stories
below. You will be given 13 index cards to use for a trading cards.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.

Read the myth of Zeus and make his trading card.

Read the myth of Hera and make her trading card.
Read the myth of Poseidon and make his trading card.
Read the myth of Hestia and make her trading card.
Read the myth of Hades and make his trading card.
Listen to the myth of Demeter and make her trading card.
Read the myth of Hephaestus and make his trading card.
Read the myth of Aphrodite and make her trading card.
Read the myth of Ares and make his trading card.
Read the myth of Athena and make her trading card.
Read the myth of Artemis and make her trading card.
Read the myth of Apollo and make his trading card.
Read the myth of Hermes and make his trading card.

7. Reflect on your learning so far. Complete the E

ffort and Achievement
self-reflection form in your packet and then discuss with a teacher.
8. Now that you know who the major gods are, we are going to read stories of some
of the minor gods, nymphs, and other supernatural beings in Greek mythology. In
many of these stories, explanations for natural phenomenon are given. Youve
already read stories above that explain why we have such things as seasons
(Demeter), lightning (Zeus), and volcanoes (Hephaestus). Below are other stories
that provide more mythological explanations for things that the ancient Greeks
didnt understand.
As you read
these stories, you are going to create a book that compares the mythological
explanation of some natural phenomenon to our modern scientific explanations.
On each page, you will write an ancient explanation A
ND a real, scientific
explanation. For example, the ancient Greeks thought that lightning occurred
whenever Zeus threw a bolt at someone who displeased him. But we know today
that lightning is a sudden discharge of electrical energy that occurs during an
electrical storm because there is a b
uildup of static electricity between two
clouds. To find the scientific explanations, you may need to do a little research
online or in a book.

a. Make 3 pages for why there are volcanoes, lightning, and seasons using
the stories youve already read.
b. Read the story of How Troubles Came into the World in your packet.
This story is better known as Pandoras Box. Make a page explaining
why there are illnesses that make people sick.
c. Listen to the story of Echo and Narcissus. Make a page to explain we can
hear echoes in places like valleys and caves.
d. Read the story of Helios (just up to the first colorful picture of the chariot
with horses) . Make a page to explain why the sun moves across the sky
to make day and night.
e. Read the story of Phaethon in your packet. Make a page explaining why
different races of people have different colored skin.
f. Choose any 5 of the constellation legends in your packet. Make a page
explaining why the star formations were in the sky.
g. Complete the s elf-assessment for your booklet. How well do you think it
turned out? Did it show your learning in an accurate way?
h. Share your book with another person in the group. Do you have the same
explanations? Go back and make any changes that you feel are
necessary.
9. Finally, you are going to read/watch to a few more famous myths. These stories
have heroes, kings/queens, and other mortals in them. The gods and goddesses
sometimes helped these people, and sometimes they punished them. But all of
them show how kind or cruel the gods could be.
a. Watch the story of King Midas.
b. Read the story of Heracles (Hercules) and his 12 Labors
c. Watch the shadow puppet performance of P
erseus and Medusa part 1
and part 2.
d. Read the story of Apollo and Daphne in your packet.
10. As you read these last few stories, you are going to complete a Character Traits
form. Character traits are made apparent by things that character say and do in
stories. What kinds of traits do the characters in these stories demonstrate? Are
they smart, brave, unfair, jealous, silly, cowardly, or patient? For each line,
choose a different trait; do not choose two characters to have the exact same
characteristic.
11. Complete a final self-reflection about this unit.